Representation of the People (National Assembly for Wales) (Access to Election Documents) Regulations 2007

My Lords, I am very grateful to noble Lords for their support for this set of good-housekeeping regulations. It is more than fair to say that they are not contentious. None the less, they are necessary to ensure the proper management of access to election documents, especially now that they are to be stored locally, which I am glad is to be welcomed. The noble Lord, Lord Roberts of Conwy, asked about the security arrangements under which documents will be stored, which is extremely important. He rightly pointed out that these documents are sensitive and that voters have a right to expect reassurance that they will not go astray. I hope I can reassure the noble Lord that local electoral administrators already store documents from local authority and European parliamentary elections, so this will not be a new function for them. They are using tried and tested administrative procedures, and will have appropriate and secure facilities which can be used for documents from the Assembly and parliamentary elections. Unless a court orders otherwise, registration officers are required to store documents in this way for one year, after which they are to be destroyed. So systems are in place. The noble Lord asked whether the same conditions will apply to supply an inspection of documents held by all relevant registration officers. The answer is yes. Following amendments made towards the end of last year, the conditions for access to parliamentary election documents are set out in Part 7 of the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001. These regulations insert a new part into the 2001 regulations, which applies those rules with relatively small modifications to reflect differences in the way in which Assembly elections are conducted. We felt that that was the best way to avoid confusion and to ensure a consistent approach to all elections. The final point made by the noble Lord, Lord Roberts, related to charges for access to documents. There is no provision for any charge to be made where a person is granted access to inspect documents, but the fee to be paid for a copy of the marked register or list is prescribed in Regulation 120 of the amended 2001 regulations. It is the same as the fee charged for the full register. In data form, the current rate is £20 plus £1.50 per 1,000 entries, or part thereof and, in printed form, £10 plus £5 per 1,000 entries, or part thereof. I am afraid that I cannot match the election stories of the noble Lord, Lord Livsey, but I am pleased that at least one of the eight recounts resulted in a win for him. The noble Lord referred to these as good-housekeeping amendments and, on that basis, I am sure that with the support of noble Lords here today I can commend these regulations to the House. On Question, Motion agreed to.